Joe Manchin

What allowed us to do that was air supremacy, the ability to project power onto land. That is increasingly challenged now.

We cannot remain static if the risks are increasing and the security environment is changing.

I have a hard time explaining why we do this, and it seems to me with a rapidly changing world that our military is not changing with it.

It is important that we protect these investments in the readiness accounts from any misguided cuts.

We cannot shortchange our investments in modernization.

It is important that we take a step back and assess the current state of our military force and the threats that we face at home and abroad.

The U.S. military remains the most ready and capable fighting force in the world.

Can you help the Air Force with some of your excess 100 percent and get them up?

The bottom line number for the active Army at the time was 484,000. Now, the active force is going down to 450,000.

What kind of bonuses are you giving?

Did I understand you earlier saying, General Carlisle, that you were 500 fighter pilots short?

What do we sacrifice to pay for readiness in fiscal year 2017, and it is simple math.

What we see is--our organization is charged with thinking about future conflict, learning in a focused, sustained, and collaborative manner about the future under our Force 2025 Maneuvers.

I commend the Army for prioritizing readiness in this year's budget and ensuring that our military are trained and ready to respond to any contingency at a moment's notice.

I understand that while there is a one-for-one replacement for the aircraft in squadrons under the Air Force plan, it is not clear that close air support capability of the modernized force will equal or exceed the close air support…

You are saying $25,000 will not do the job.

It was not by accident that happened. We knew you were having some challenges there.

Are you having a problem or the same problem that the Air Force is having? I am just trying to find out if there is a way we can help each other.

We are going to be open-minded and try.

Knowing that you have this shortage, why did you all make that decision?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank all three of you for your service and for being here today.

The shortness you have right now is 300 for drones. You have more shortage in fighter pilots than drones?

You know it is not real popular here. Right?

Just very quickly. General Bunch, what would be the impact of reforming the contract for the B-21 to a fixed price contract?

Why would they plan to retire aircraft in high demand without planning to replace them? I think that is about as straightforward as I can make it.